City comparison
Akron, OH vs Bremerton, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 13.1% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $113,100 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.6% moving from Akron, OH to Bremerton, WA ($111,138 → $119,630), while prices change by +13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Bremerton, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 105.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,106 in Bremerton | $88,413 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,548/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $63,200 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Bremerton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 129.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 92.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 105.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
Bremerton, WA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Bremerton, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Bremerton, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Bremerton, WA | Real change, Akron → Bremerton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,373 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $83,935 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $100,602 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $119,630 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $141,367 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Bremerton, WA | Bremerton pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $102,650 | $90,756 (+15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $146,200 | $129,259 (+22.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $88,250 | $78,024 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $107,220 | $94,796 (+17.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.